arbour

See also: Arbour and 'arbour

English

Alternative forms

• arbor (US)

Etymology

From Middle English arbere, arber, an alteration of herber, erber (“pleasure garden; herb garden”) influenced by Latin arbor (“tree”).

Noun

arbour (plural arbours)

1. A shady sitting place, usually in a park or garden, and usually surrounded by climbing shrubs or vines and other vegetation.
   • 1979, J.G. Ballard, The Unlimited Dream Company, chapter 24:

     Children swung from the branches of the banyan tree, teenagers climbed into the arbours of orchids and gourds into which the abandoned cars had been transformed.

2. A shady walk.